The Italian anti-mafia writer Roberto Saviano has been found guilty of libelling the prime minister, Giorgia Meloni, and fined €1,000 (£865) for calling her “a bastard” over her migration policies.
Supporters of the author criticised the verdict, saying it highlighted Italy’s draconian defamation laws and warned of a “chilling effect” on the media.
“This verdict underscores the challenges writers and journalists face in their pursuit of free expression and reminds us of the…